


The Swan

by StarFromPhoenix



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Fluff and Smut, Interspecies Romance, Love at First Sight, M/M, Prince Charming!Damen, Softer!Laurent, Swan Princess AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:08:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22166158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarFromPhoenix/pseuds/StarFromPhoenix
Summary: Following the untimely death of both King Aleron and Crown Prince Auguste, after a mysterious illness, the land of Vere was thrown into despair. The young Prince Laurent, Aleron’s only living heir was a mere boy, and incredibly survived the illness which befell Arles. Thankfully, King Aleron’s brother courageously became Regent for his nephew, holding the throne until Laurent came of age. He took Laurent under his wing, and raised him side by side with his own son, Nicaise, who was the same age as Prince Laurent.In an effort to stabilize Vere, the Regent betrothed young Prince Laurent to the Prince Damianos of Akielos, publicly ensuring peace and prosperity for both nations.Sadly, no one saw the Regent’s treachery. To stay in power, he curses Laurent, turning him into a swan and uses magic to pass Nicaise off as Laurent just as Damianos arrives at Arles for the royal wedding.
Relationships: Damen & Laurent (Captive Prince), Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 27
Collections: Captive Prince Reverse Bang 2019





	The Swan

Laurent gazed at the portrait on the easel at the corner of his room from his desk. His quill was in his hand and he was halfway through the letter he was writing. He looked at the small gold plaque at the bottom of the portrait.

“Damianos, Prince of Akielos,” he whispered to himself. He portrait had arrived four months ago. It was all in preparation to the upcoming nuptials between he and Damianos. Laurent had refused to sit for a portrait. When his uncle had come in angrily, demanding he sit for one, Laurent agreed but then paid off the painter to paint a white horse and send that instead. “That’ll show them,” Laurent thought.

He didn’t wish to marry Damianos. He didn’t wish to marry at all, actually. He wished to be alone. Left alone. Unbothered. Just he and his books and nothing else.

Sadly, it seemed that would never be. Laurent’s uncle had made sure to remind him over and over and over again that his wedding would take place during the Summer Solstice. He looked out his window and saw that the snow was melting and the trees were becoming green. Spring was upon them and soon summer would come and with it would come Prince Damianos of Akielos. He would come to claim Laurent who had been promised to him. He would come and they would marry and Laurent would have to be forced to spend half his year away from the only home he had ever known.

Laurent stood up, quill in hand. He sauntered over to the portrait, lifted the quill and drew two swirls above Damianos’s lip, drawing a mustache as a child would. He grinned at the portrait and returned to his desk to finish the letter he was composing, suddenly feeling much better. 

* * *

“Morning father,” Nicaise said with a sigh as he sat down for breakfast.

“Son,” the Regent said with a nod.

Nicaise looked around. “Laurent couldn’t make it to breakfast...  _again_?” He asked with a sigh and not hiding his contempt.

The Regent looked at his son, slightly raising an eyebrow. “ _Prince_ Laurent, your cousin was not feeling too good this morning. Hopefully he will feel much better by supper.”

“Yes, let us hope,” Nicaise said with a fake smile.

The Regent leaned in close to Nicaise. “Behave,” he said in a barely there whisper. “Soon, Laurent will be no more and Vere and Akielos will be ours.”

“Yes, father,” Nicaise replied with a more genuine smile. 

* * *

The spring days became warmer and longer until finally one day, Laurent awoke and found the grounds covered in a layer of green. He knew his days of freedom would be over. Damianos would be arriving in Vere in the next few days.

Laurent sat alone in his room, pondering his fate. Wondering what Damianos would be like. He had heard of the things his uncle said about Akielon men. He said they were brutes, barbarians. They went into battle over the smallest of disputes, bloodthirsty animals they were, barely covering their tanned muscled limbs. Prince Damianos, his Regent uncle had told him, was amongst the best fighters in Akielos.

“Why he could crush your chest with a mere squeeze of his humongous hand, nephew,” the Regent had told Laurent the day he told him he was to marry the barbarian prince.

“What if he hurts me?” Laurent had asked, only sixteen when he had received the news, eyes wide and the idea of marriage seeming like a death sentence.

“Oh, I doubt it,” the Regent had said. Nicaise has been on a chaise, pretending to read but Laurent knew he wasn’t. “He knows he cannot harm you, my child. He needs you alive if Akielos is to have an sway over Vere. And keep you relatively happy. I doubt he would even slap you around! Your skin is so delicate and bruises as easily as flower petals...” Nicaise had snickered at that.

Now, as the day grew longer, Laurent knew this could possibly be his last day of freedom. On a whim, he changed into his most casual clothing, navy blue jacket and trousers. He pulled on his most worn leather boots and pulled on a navy blue hat, tucking his shoulder length blond hair underneath. He stared at himself in the mirror. He pulled on a light black cloak and opened up his bedroom window, a blast of fragrant air hitting his face. He climbed out and was quickly moving silently across the courtyard, making it to the stables fast enough. He took his favorite mare and rode into town. Slipping out of the castle undetected was his specialty. 

The town was not much to speak of. The most exciting spot was the tavern. Laurent had been there a few times. Today, it seemed busier than usual. Laurent was not too preoccupied by this... not at first. It wasn’t until he noticed the place was full of men. Tall, tanned, dark haired men. It was then that Laurent realized the tavern was filled with Akielon soldiers. They were shivering and trying to keep warm by the fire, the Veretian spring being colder than they were used to. They were loudly laughing and speaking in Akielon, which Laurent had taken to learning but still had a ways to go in being fluent. Laurent would have turned and walked out but he was already there and he figured he would call much more attention to himself if he just left.

He didn’t stop by the bar through, instead he kept walking, up the stairs and out into the small balcony that was there. It wasn’t a spot anyone would bother being given the clientele today. Especially not a scantly clad Akielon who would be unaccustomed to the cold. He walked the few steps to the edge of the balcony, grasping the metal rail. This was it then. This was truly it. This was his last night of freedom and even this had been ruined by the Akielon barbarians that were crowding the normally calm tavern. He couldn’t eat his favorite sugared meat or ask for a quiet song to be played, in fact he hadn’t even seen the young boy that normal was having around with a lyre.. it was just as well. He was sure he wouldn’t have been heard through all the noise those barbarians were making.

Laurent felt his body tense as he heard the balcony door click and swing open behind him. He stayed frozen in spot as he heard someone step out and swing the door shut. The balcony was small. Anyone with any manners would have left a man out on it alone and not be so intrusive. Laurent kept looking up at the sky as the uninvited balcony guest took the three steps it took for him to be standing beside Laurent by the railing. Out of his peripheral vision, Laurent saw the large shadow beside him. ‘Must be an Akielon,’ Laurent thought to himself. Being able to not resist his curiosity much longer he looked to his right, nose up in the air as if he had smelled something unpleasant.

He was shocked when looking back at him was none other than the face that had been staring at him from the portrait by his desk. There, in all his splendid and huge glory was none other than Prince Damianos of Akielos. At once Laurent realized the portrait didn’t do him justice, although it was a well done portrait. It’s not that the artist didn’t try to capture Damianos’s good looks or his toned body, perfect dark curls or charming smile, no, it was all there. But, now as Laurent looked upon the Prince, it was obvious no portrait could ever come close to the beauty that was the real man.

It was at this moment that Laurent realized he had been staring and so looked away. He had noticed Damen had a thick cloak over him but underneath he had his riding leathers which wasn’t much when you came from Akielos and his feet were in knee high leather sandals.

“Its not that cold,” Laurent said motioning you the thick cloak and wished he had thought of something more witty to speak of.

“It’s cold when you’re only used to summer and warm desert sand,” Damianos answered. Laurent felt Damen look him over. “You’re Veretian?”

“Obviously,” Laurent said softly trying to suppress a smile and trying to not look into Damianos’s soft brown eyes.

“Tell me about your Prince,” he said. “Does he have a good heart?”

Laurent looked at Damianos, surprised. “I... yes. Yes. I believe he does,” Laurent answered. He again took note he was staring a bit too long and looked back up at the sky. The stars were twinkling. “Is that all you’re concerned about with him? If he has a good heart?” Laurent asked, genuinely curious. “Don’t you wish to know more?”

“Well... yes I’m curious about more, but having a good heart helps with everything else.”

Laurent rolled his eyes slightly, wishing Damianos didn’t give him a slight fluttering in his stomach. “And you?” Laurent couldn’t help but ask. “Do you have a good heart?”

Damianos looked at him surprised. “I believe do...” The surprised look turned into a curious one. “Do you know who I am?”

Laurent suddenly realized his mistake, and shook his head and tried to look uninterested. “Just wondered why you’re so worried about people and their good hearts,” he answered casually.

Damianos laughed warmly. Laurent couldn’t help but smile but turned away a bit so Damianos couldn’t see. “Well I just wished to know if the Prince would be someone who will also come to Akielos and embrace those people as his own,” Damianos said.

Laurent turned back and looked at the man beside him. “If you’re that worried maybe you should wait to get to know him well before marrying him.”

Damianos looked right into Laurent’s eyes. “So you do know who I am,” Damianos said softly. Laurent kept staring into Damianos’s eyes, saying nothing in return. He stepped a bit closer, his eyes searching Laurent’s face. “It’s you, isn’t it?” Damen asked softly. “Your artist aside from presenting me with a large gorgeous portrait of your favorite white mare, also gave me a small portrait of you, after I offered a large sum of coin, of course,” Damen said with a charming smile.

Laurent felt his eyes widen. “I do not know what you speak of,” Laurent said in a soft whisper.

“Alright Prince, we shall play your game,” Damianos said. “You can call me Damen by the way,” he whispered. “And your secret is safe with me. Have you got a guard somewhere to keep you safe? Shall I escort you back to the palace?”

Laurent looked at Damen sideways. “I need no such thing,” he said. “I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

“Point taken,” Damen said. He took another step towards Laurent and placed his hand on top of his. “As for what you said, if it was up to me we would get to know each other better before we marry,” he said softly. Laurent looked up at him surprised. “But alas, we have a King and a Regent eager to see us marry. So we shall. But the speed in which we take... our relationship in is up to us.”

“Will you let me stay at Arles while we get to know each other?” Laurent asked knowing they were meant to leave for Akielos within a month of being married.

Damen looked into his eyes. “Is that want you wish?”

“Yes,” Laurent said letting a breath out. “Yes. Yes. I... it’s the only home I’ve known and -“

“Say no more,” Damen said with a soft voice. “I understand. It makes total sense. We can talk about it and figure out what makes you happy.”

Laurent nodded looking at Damen in surprise. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Damen was the one that looked surprised now. “Why wouldn’t I be? I wish for you to be happy. I don’t want you miserable.”

Laurent thought back to the words of his uncle. How Damen would have to keep Laurent happy so he could have a sway in Vere. “Yes. Of course you want to keep me happy,” Laurent replied softly looking back at the dark sky and twinkling stars.

There was a moment of silence from Damen and Laurent wondered if he would press and question him further. He did not. Laurent looked back at Damen who was also looking up at the stars.

“Do you do this a lot? Star gaze?” Damen asked.

“I used to with my brother,” Laurent said. He opened his mouth as if to speak more. He couldn’t though. He never had. Damen was still only a stranger.

“It’s alright,” Damen said gingerly places his hand on Laurent’s. “I... can imagine.”

Laurent was taken a back by his tenderness, something he didn’t expect. He cleared his throat and began to point out constellations, something he and Auguste used to do. The moment was quite and intimate in a sweet way. Laurent began to feel a sense of home... maybe this wouldn’t as bad as he imagined. Damen was kind and patient and they were out for what felt like forever.

They were standing close, their arms rubbing and Laurent found he couldn’t stop staring at Damen and he felt Damen couldn’t stop staring him. They had stopped talking and were simply looking at one another... the moment seemed to stretch and Laurent found himself looking at Damen’s lips... wondering what they would feel like on his.

“Exalted!” Came a voice from the door. Laurent and Damen jumped back slightly from each other. Laurent hadn’t even noticed how close they had been leaning towards each other. “Nikandros has been looking for you -”

Damen looked at the door slightly annoyed, quieting the man at once. “Close the door and go back inside. I’ll be in when I’m ready.”

“Yes, Exalted,” said the soldier, clearly embarrassed.

Laurent looked back at Damen as he dug for something in his cloak. He took out a golden ring with a lion’s head in it. “Here,” Damen said. “Here, I wanted to give you this -”

“No,” Laurent said. “Not yet. Not yet.” Laurent looked at Damen, all the ideas he had of this supposed barbarian of a man melting away and suddenly he was almost excited to begin to get to know Damen.

“This isn’t for the wedding,” Damen said with a handsome grin. “This is just... a gift for my future husband.”

Laurent felt himself melt, but made sure to not show it. “When... when you come to Arles we’ll talk and get to know each other and... and when we’re more comfortable together I will be more than happy to wear that ring.”

Damen gave him a smile. “Ok, deal,” he said said, taking Laurent’s hand and kissing it along the knuckles.

“I believe you must go,” Laurent said.

“As do you. Please, ride carefully when you eventually leave.”

“I will,” Laurent said with a faint smile. “I look forward to hosting you at Arles.”

“I look forward to being your guest,” Damen said.

They exchanged one more smile before Damen turned and stepped back into the tavern, leaving Laurent alone again on the balcony. 

* * *

Laurent rode home in muscle memory. He was suddenly at the castle and riding in through the hidden small gate on the side which he used for his escapes. It wasn’t until he was exiting the stables that he stopped in shock as two figures approached him. In the pale moonlight and shadows, it took him a moment to realize it was his cousin Nicaise and one of the Regent’s men, Govart. Laurent stood in place as they approached him. 

“Father wishes to see you,” Nicaise said in a bored drawl.

“Uncle can wait until tomorrow,” Laurent said rolling his eyes and beginning to pull his riding gloves off. He was walking by when Govart reached out and grabbed Laurent by his right bicep. “Unhand me if you know what’s best for you,” Laurent said in an icy tone. Govart did nothing but give him a nasty smirk. 

“I’m afraid Father said you’re to be brought to him by whatever means necessary,” Nicaise said with a fake smile of his own.

* * *

In the end Laurent had gone willingly. He figured putting up a fight wasn’t worth it tonight. He walked into his uncle’s study and was surprised to find him still dressed. He was gazing out the window and looked back at Laurent as he walked in, flanked by Nicaise and Govart. 

“Nephew,” he said. He looked Laurent up and down. “Your days of sneaking out of Arles are over.”

“I’m aware,” Laurent said nonchalantly. “I’m about to marry,” Laurent paused, checking his voice stayed steady. “... an Akielon brute and I won’t have the freedom to do things as slipping out of the castle in what I thought was, secret.”

Laurent uncle gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Prince Laurent is about to marry, yes,” he said walking towards Laurent. “But _you_ nephew, will be out of my hair, finally. You will be dead quite soon actually, and in the mean time...”

Laurent saw a blinding flash of light and he felt a strange warmth come over his body. He felt himself... shrink. He tried to cry out, run away, but he couldn’t move. He was immobilized as he felt the world go off kilter. It was strange and his body felt even stranger. It was dizzying. Finally it seemed to stop. Laurent felt terror run through him as he found himself looking up at his uncle, Nicaise and Govart.

He opened his mouth to ask what was going on but a strange sound came out of him. Nicaise burst out laughing.

“Get him out of my sight,” the Regent said.

“Gladly!” Govart said laughing. 

Laurent wished for turn and run away, but lost his balance and fell. He felt Govart’s rough hands grab him. He tried to get away, wondered why his arms and legs weren’t working. He struggled against Govart but to no avail. Soon enough he was being carried through the court yard and finally outside into the woods around Arles.

Laurent tried to cry out. No words came, instead strange sounds escaped his throat. Laurent felt dizzy. Finally, Govart threw Laurent down on the ground. “There,” he said. He laughed. “Go look at yourself,” he said pointing to the small pond that was illuminated by the rising sun. “There’s no coming back from this.”

He turned and began to walk away. Laurent stayed in place, frozen, confused. Once he was gone, he walked slowly to the pond. His body felt so different. Once at the edge he looked over, and he stared, shocked. Looking back at him was a swan. 


End file.
